Venetian blind construction



Nov. 7, 1950 G. SHERWOOD 2,529,229

VENETIAN BLIND cousmucnou Filed April 6, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 4 a .55 J5 J4 J5 1- INVEN TOR.

Nov. 7, 1950 G. L. SHERWOOD 2,529,229

VENETIAN BLIND CONSTRUCTION Filed April 6, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

6262a L. Jzrwwa? 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 G. L. SHERWOOD VENETIAN BI-IND CONSTRUCTION "I'll! IIIIIII/ Nov. 7, 1950 Filed April 6, 1945 Nov. 7, 1950 s. SHERWOOD VENETIAN BLIND CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 6, 1945 nl ll I" INVENTOR- lezwzlenwuad BY %@,%w%

Nov. 7, 1950 G. L. SHERWOOD VENETIAN BLIND CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 6, 1945 IN V EN TOR. GZzmzalerzawd Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENETIAN BLIND CONSTRUCTION Glenn L. Sherwood, Benton Harbor, Mich. Application April 6, 1945, Serial No. 586,905 9 Claims. (Cl. 160-168) This invention relates to Venetian blinds, and particularly to a head box construction of a Venetian blind for tilting the slats and also for raising and lowering the slats.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a Venetian blind construction which will permit a manufacturer to fabricate parts of the head box construction completely finished, and other parts, such as the ornamental front panel and a part of the rod or driving mechanism which drivingly interconnects the slat tilting mechanism and the slat raising and lowering mechanism, as finished strip material which can be sold to a subassembler along with the finished parts, whereby the subassembler can then cut the continuous strip material to exact dimensions according to the specification of any particular installation, can then assemble the completed head box, utilizing the already fabricated parts that come from the main manufacturer, by which construction it is only necessary to keep a number of the completed tilting boxes and raising and lowering boxes on hand, plus a certain length of the strip material, thereby greatly saving expense.

Yet another object or the invention resides in providing .a head box construction including mounting end brackets and a separable ornamental front panel and back panel, plus an actuator rod, there being means for quickly and easily assembling all of these parts to provide a complete head box.

Yet another object of the invention resides in providing means for crimping a length of sheet metal front panel to the assembled tilting and raising and lowering boxes in connection with the end brackets, whereby to provide a complete head box for a Venetian blind.

Ye another object of the invention resides in providing a head box for a Venetian blind whereby the principal mechanism for tilting the slats is contained in one completed assembly and the principal mechanism for controlling the slat lifting is contained in another completed assembly, said members being rigidly interconnected in spaced relation and by an elongated rigidifying member for interconnecting the portions of the assemblies to spaced apart stationarily mounted end brackets, there being an ornamental front panel for covering the front of the assembly,

which front panel is detachably crimped to the end bracket.

Another object of the invention is to provide a head box for a Venetian blind wherein the tilting mechanisms are economically built as sepaand are designed to contain all the more or less complicated mechanisms involved in such devices, and which assemblies are constructed to form a structural part of the head box to be completed by the attachment of one or more separate parts that .are easily cut to the proper length to suit the individual window width.

Yet another object resides in the construction of the end mounting brackets whereby they may be adjustably mounted on angularly disposed mounting walls, and whereby the head box assembly may be adjustably mounted from and with relation to these end brackets and held in such predetermined position with respect thereto; another feature of the mounting brackets resides in forming them so that they form in effect a continuation of the front panel which is fastened thereto, preferably by crimping, whereby the front panel may be quickly and easily mounted upon the head assembly.

Yet another object of the invention resides in providing a slat tilting box construction having an angularly disposed shaft therein of such construction as to permit the utilization of a larger gear intermeshing with a pinion on the shaft, and also to permit clearance for operating the drum on the shaft without unnecessarily increasing the size of the head box.

Yet another object of the invention resides in the provision of latching mechanism to hold the tilt when the slats are in closed position.

Another object of the invention resides in the construction of the means for holding the tape brackets and restraining the shaft from end play, including means for holding the tape in the bracket for easy assembly and removal.

Yet another object of the invention resides in the means for drivingly interconnecting the mechanism of the tilting box and the tape tilting mechanism. 1

Another object of the invention resides in the construction of the bottom rail and the end caps, including a lower shield having the purpose of enclosing the rail and securing the tape, and likewise in providing a cap to enclose the end of'the shield or rail, said cap having a spacer pin for locking the shield in position.

Yet another object of the invention resides in '2 the means for forming the pulley of sheet metal rate assemblies by quantity production methods construction and for assembling the pulley and its driving pinion and saft within the tilting box, and for connecting it with the toothed sector which operates the tape tilting mechanism.

Yet another object of the invention resides in providing the arrangement of pulleys in the slat same are brought out of the box at the underside thereof and close to and below and behind the ornamental front panel, whereby to preserve the unbroken or uncut ornate appearance of the front panel, while at the same tim efiecting the positioning of the front cords close to the wall thereof for accessibility.

Yet another object of the invention resides in the provision ofa simplified mechanism for holding the cord raising and lowering mechanism in adjusted position.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from a perusal of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front. perspective view of my improved blind;

Figure 2 is a side view thereof;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Figure 4 is a section taken on Fig. 2;

Figure 5 is an exploded view showing the arrangement of the parts;

Figure 6 is a view of the various parts of the head box;

Figure 7 is a view of the holding pawl;

Figure 7a is a view of a shaft and driving sleeve;

Figure 8 is a top or planned section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a vertical section taken on the line 99 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a section taken on the line Iii-l0 of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a section taken on of Figure 8;

the line 11 Figure 12 is a plan section taken on the line l2-I2 of Figure 1;

Figure 13 is a vertical section taken on the line Iii-i3 of Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a section taken on the line "-14 Of Figure 12;

Figure 15 is a view of one of the pulley mechanisms; and

Figures 16, 17, 18, 19, and 21 show various constructions of the mechanism for holding the tapes onto the tape lifting mechanism.

In general the improved Venetian blind head box comprises a pair of end brackets adapted to be mounted in the frame of the window or to the vertical side wall or to and on the surface of a horizontal wall. These brackets are mounted in desired spaced relation to accommodate the window width. The box includes two box-like assemblies one of which includes substantially all of the slat tilting mechanism, and the other includes substantially all of the slat raising and lowering mechanism. These two assemblies are fabricated in completed condition at the manufacturing plant and are adapted to be adjustably mounted on and between the two stationary end plates. There is provision for a slight adjustment to accommodate discrepancies in manufacturing. In addition, the construction inthe line 34 of 4 2 cludes a rigidifying back plate which is c nnected to the completed assemblies by means of selftapping screws. There is also a front panel which is made at the factory and sold in long lengths to the subassembler who at his plant cuts it to predetermined length to suit the dimensions of the particular window installation, and this is then crimped to the front panels of'the tilting and raising and lowering boxes, whereby to provide an ornamental front for the head box. The ends of the front panel are shaped and fabricated to form a finished flt with the front ends of the end mounting brackets. In addition, there is provided an elongated rod of angular cross section, which is supplied in length and cut P p length by the subassembler, and- [Y]; this is then put into position whereby drivingly to interconnect the slat tilting mechanism of one of the assembly boxes and the slat raising and lowering mechanism of the other box. The tape shifting mechanism is mounted upon this elongated, angular cross sectioned rod and includes mechanism for quickly mounting or demounting the tapes from the mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Figure 6, in general the improved head box comprises a fixed, completely .fabricated tilting box comprising a front vertical w'allof sheet metal 2, a bottom wall 4, and a rear vertical wall 6. The two ends and top are open.

The box is formed of any desired gau e t metal and carries the slat tilting mechanism hereinafter described. In addition, there 'isa slat raising and lowering mechanism comprising 4 another box-like assembly having a front vertical wall 8, a bottom wall l0, and a rear vertical wall l2. The two ends and the top of this boxlike assembly are open. This assembly includes a part of the slat tilting and raising mechanism.

In addition, the mechanism includes a'left-end mounting bracket l4 having .a top inwardly extending flange l6 and a bottom inwardly extend- .ing flange l8, and a rear vertical flange 20. The

end at the front is formed on an'arc, as shown at 22, for engaging with the front panel heremafter described. The upper horizontal flange is provided with screw holes 24 and the :vertical I side wall is provided with screw holes .26.

addition, the bottom horizontal flange i8yis pro-- vided with two holes 28 for the reception of a screwdriver when it is desired to utilize the upper holes 24 for fixing the bracket to a horizontal wall such as the ceiling. bottom flange I8 is provided with abayonet 'slot 30 by which the extreme left hand end of the slat tilting box may be mountedand fastened to this end bracket. Similarly there is likewise provided an identical bracket l5 at the opposite end, except that it is reversely faced, as is evi-' dent. In addition the front wall ll of the bracket is provided with screw holes 32. There is. also provided an elongated sheet metal strip having an overhanging horizontal flange 36. 1 This strip is provided with holes 38 for self-tapping screws by which the plate is connected bymeans of the screws registering with the'holes 40, 42, 44 and 46 in the rear panel members 6v and ll! of the tilting and lifting boxes, whereby these boxes are rigidly mounted in spaced relation. The two boxes themselves are adapted tohave their bottoms 4 and I0 lie upon the two horizontal flanges i8 and I9 1 f the end brackets and then a screw such as illOWn at 48 is inserted on the underside of the flanges l8 through In addition the the slots 36 and'into a threaded hole 56 on each one of the bottom plates 4 and I6. As shown in Figure 8, the slot 36 of the bottom plate I8 is out upon a curvature which corresponds with the curvature of the front edge 22 of the end brackets. This arrangement is such that when the front panel 52 which has curved ends 54 and 56 is assembled upon the end brackets, such curved ends 54 and 56 will make a sliding, neat fit with the curved end walls 22 of the end brackets, and due to the fact that these curved walls 22 and 54 are struck on the same arc as the slot 36, irrespective of the adjustment of the bottom plates 4 and I6 with respect to the horizontal plates I8 and I9 of the end plates, I4, the fit between the curved ends 54 and 56 and 22 will always maintain itself.

The front panel 52 is formed of sheet metal. Ordinarily the original manufacturer furnishes this strip in a continuous length which is shipped to the subassembler who then cuts it to lengths according to particular window installation and preferably curves the ends at the job or prior to taking it to the job, so that it will be on the same curvature as the ends 22 of the end brackets. This front panel is preferably formed with upper and lower flanges 58 and 66, see Figure 10, which may be crimped over as at 62 and 64, or other selected places therealong, against the upper edge of the front walls 2 and 8 of the tilting and lifting boxes, whereby normally to hold this provided with a square opening 82, see Figure 6, to receive the square rod 66 and therefore when the bushing turns,.and due to the square fit, the rod likewise turns. The rod is turned by means of a pinion 64 having teeth which mesh with the teeth I8 'of the segment 16. This pinion 84 is mounted on the end of a short shaft 85 which in turn is provided with a semiannular sleeve 86 and welded thereto at 81. A tongue 88 engages a notch 89 on the hub of the pulley 98. The shaft 86 is provided with a reduced end 92 which passes through the pinion 84 and is journalled in a smaller opening 94 in the partition 68 to provide a bearing for that end of the shaft. The semiannular sleeve 86 is provided on its opposite end with a pair of teeth 9| which engage teeth of the pinion 84, and thereby provide a driving connection between the pinion and the pulley 96 and 98. By thus including the shaft 86 I secure a greater gear reduction-in the same amount of space without increasing the size of the head box. The shaft 85 has press-fitted thereon the two-piece sheet metal pulley comprising two cup-like abutting parts 96 and 98 which are welded together as at I66. One of these pulleys provides a sleeve I62 to encircle one end of the shaft 85, and the other pulley is provided with an annular wall I64 which is dispanel 52 in position. Thus I have provided means whereby the front panel may be secured to the assembly without defacing or in any way injuring the ornamental aspects of this front panel.

As an additional part of the mechanism there is a bar 66 which is formed in a long strip at the original manufacturing plant and is supplied to the subprocessor as a long continuous bar. This bar is then cut to length by the subprocessor in accordance with the width of the installation required and is then installed to interconnect the tilting mechanism and the lifting mechanism when these mechanisms are assembled by the subprocessor as hereinbefore and hereinafter described. After the bars 66 are cut to the desired length the two tilting brackets shown in Figure 6 are assembled upon this bar. Reference is made to Figure 17. These tilting brackets are disposed one in each end of the boxes, with the bar 66 interconnecting the mechanism. Reference is now made to the tilting box and the lifting box and the construction thereof, and for this purpose Figures 6 and 13 show each of the tilting boxes as comprising the sheet metal boxes, which as hereinbefore mentioned comprises the front vertical wall 2, the bottom horiontal wall 4, and the rear vertical wall 6, the top being open. The front Wall is higher than the rear wall. In the tilting box there is mounted a vertically disposed partition 68 which supports a tilting segment 76. This partition has a central bushing I2 which is inserted through a corresponding opening in the partition 68 and on one side the bushing is provided with a shoulder (Figure 9) 14, which overlies the hole in the partition 68. On the opposite side the bushing is provided with a shoulder 16 which accommodates the segment I6 which is held in place by a circular ridge 86 which is turned circumferentially over the inner Wall of the tilting segment 16. Thus the bushing carrying the segment is freely rotatable in the opening formed in the partition 68. This bushing in turn is posed to engage the opposite end of the shaft 96 and also to engage a shoulder I66 on the adjacent end of the shaft 86. By this means the pulley is firmly held in position on the two shafts 86 and 96 which may be held in driving relation by the slot and tongue connection 88. The pulley is provided with the flanges I68 and I I6 to hold the cords H2 in place thereon. In general the pulley is assembled upon the shaft 96, the end of the shaft being rotatably inserted in a tongue II4 that is struck up from the bottom wall 4 of the box. After this, the shaft 86 carrying the pinion 84 is inserted to form the slot and tongue connection 68 and the pin 92 is then inserted through the hole in the partition 68 thereby resiliently, yieldingly and rotatably to hold the shaft in turnable position between the tongue H4 and the partition 68. Thus a simple pulley assembly is provided. The pulley is rotated by pulling upon the desired cord II2 whereby to rotate the pulley and rotate the shafts 96 and 86 to rotate the pinion 84 to turn the sector gear 76 and thus turn the squared shaft 66. The bar 66 when tilted by means of the tilting brackets shown in Figure 6, and more specifically shown in Figures 16 to 21 inclusive, will tilt the straps which are connected to the slats of the Venetian blind, simultaneously to give them the proper angle of tilt as is well known. The mounting of these slats is shown specifically in Figures 1 and 2. The ribbons comprising the fabric strips H6 and H8 are connected at spaced desired intervals by transversely disposed cross strips I26 being sewed thereto at I22 and I24. The slats I26 are carried by each one of these cross ribbons I26 so that when the vertically disposed ribbons I I 6 and I I8 are shifted by the mechanism shown in Figures 16 and 17 all of the slats will be simultaneously and correspondingly shifted.

The bottom of the Venetian blind comprises two sheet metal elongated strips I28 and I36, see Figure 5. The upper strip I28 is preferably narrower in cross section than the lower strip I36 and each of these strips is provided with longitudinally extending side flanges I32, I34,

I36, and I3B. which flanges when the strips rest as shown in Figure 3, will have the flanges I32 and I34 lying within the flanges I36 and I38 of the bottom strip. The bottom portions of the two tapes H8 and H8 are clamped between the two confronting flanges I82 and I34 and I38 and I38 and the two inner ends I40 and I42 are stitched together as at I44. Means is provided for permanently holding the two bottom strips I28 and I30 together and this comprises two end caps I48 and I48 which as shown are flanged to slip over the end portions of the interfltting shields I28 and I30. Each of these shields is provided with an opening through which a pin I60 and I52 is inserted, each pin having a cap I54 on its inner end. That part of the pinwhich projects through the cap is covered by a rubber cap I56 to prevent noise and rattle. This upper strip I28 is provided with two openings I58 to receive the raising cords I80 and I62, the ends of the cords below the holes I58 being provided with knots I84 to permit assembly. One of the raising cords, such as I60, extends upwardly into the tilting box structure shown in Figure 9 where it passes over a pulley I66, which as shown in Figure 6 is mounted between two struck-up flanges I68 and I10 which are slotted out from the base 4 and pushed up at right angles thereto to form a bearing for the pin I12 on which the pulley is adapted to rotate.

Means is provided for exerting a friction force against the segment to retain the slats on the blinds in a predetermined tilted position. This is best shown in Figures 6 and 11 as comprising a sheet metal bar I14 having a V-shaped hook I16 on one end which engages under a right angle I18 on the partition 68. The bar also has a depressed or folded portion I80 constituting a. strip and located between its ends to engage against the circular periphery I82 on the sector 10. This sector I82 as also formed on each end thereof the notches I84 and I86 which determine the limit that the slats can be shifted from one tilted position to the other tilted position whereby the notches I84 and I88 will engage the folded portion I80 of the bar I14 to hold the slats in their extreme tilted positions. A coil spring I88 having one end fixed as at I90 and the other connected as at I92 to the bar I14 keeps a downward tension upon this bar to pull the detent I80 resiliently against the circular periphery I82 of the toothed sector 10 whereby to hold the slats in adjustably tilted position. The notches I84 and I86 engage the detent in extreme adjusted position in either direction, which also provides a yieldable stop to indicate to the operator when the extreme tilted position in either direction has been reached.

The lifting box shown in Figures 6 and 12 to inclusive, like the tilting box, comprises a front flange 8, a shorter rear flange I2, and a bottom I0. Preferably at the left the bottom I0 is slotted to provide two upstanding parallel flanges I94 and I96 through which a shaft I98 passes. A

pulley 200 is rotatably mounted on this shaft. In

addition, the bottom I0 between the upright plates I94 and I96 is provided with a hole 202 through which the lifting rope I62 passes to engage over the pulley as shown in Figure I3.

In addition, a transverse partition 204 is arranged. This partition is provided with a flange 206 which is preferably spot welded to the rear wall I2 of the box and in addition the partition 204 has a. bottom flange 208 which is held by means of self-tapping screws 2I0 to the bottom I0 of the header box. The partition is provided as at 2I2 with a hole through which the rod 68 passes. This hole provides a bearing for permitting the rod 66 to turn therein.

A portion of the bracket 204 is folded upon itself as at 2, see Figure 12, to provide spaced plate-like members 2I6 and 2I8 to receive a shaft 220 upon which a pulley 222 is rotatably mounted. By reference to Figures 12, 13 and 14 it will be seen that the parallel folded portions 2I6 and 2I8 of thehousing or bearing for the pulley project downwardly through an opening 224, see Figure 14, formed in the bottom plate I0 of this lifting box. These housing plates 2I6 and 2I8 provide a guide for the two cords as hereinafter described. The pulley 222 is shown in Figure 14 as comprising a double pulley arranged at a proper angle so as to receive the two cords 226 and 228. As shown in Figure 13 the lifting cord 226 comes from the smaller pulley I66 which is mounted in the tilting box, and this cord 226 passes onto one of the pulleys 222. In addition the other lifting cord 228 first passes upwardly through the hole in the bottom wall of the raising box and then around the pulley 200 and thence passes over the other pulley 222 as shown in Figure 13. Thu these pulleys 222 must be disposed at a proper angularity to receive the cords 226 and 228 from the pulleys 203 and I86 and similarly must be disposed so that the cords will be dire'cted downwardly through the hole 224 in the bottom of the box, the two parellel guide walls 2I8 and 2I8 passing downwardly through the bottom of this box and having tongue portions, the lower edges of these parallel plates being preferably flared outwardly as, at 23I to eliminate friction. It will be noted that the projecting ends of these parallel plates which pass through the hole 224 in the bottom of the lifting box are disposed to,the rear of the front panel 52 and thereby maintain the ornamental appearance of the front panel while at the same time bringing the control of the lifting cords to the front of the box.

Pivotally mounted between the two plates 2I8 and 2I8 is a latching pawl 234 pivotally mounted on a pin 236 and having a serrated forward edge 238. This latching pawl is formed of a flat piece of sheet metal and has a flat portion 240 and two side flanges 242 and 244. In addition, a T-headed end 246 abuts against the parallel side flanges 2I6 and 2I8 so that the pawl 234 is retained in proper position to pivot about the pin 236. The serrated edge 238 clips the lifting cords so that when they are shifted a downward pull on the cords will allow disengagement of the teeth 238 and will permit the operator to lower the blind. The teeth 238 grip the cords between theedges of the teeth and the back wall 2I4 of the housing. The manner of operation of the raising and lowering of the blind by operation of the cords 226 and 228 is of the usual arrangement.

The mean for holding the tilting tapes H8 and H8 on the tilting heads is shown in Figures 16 to 21 inclusive.

In general this means comprises a sheet metal bracket 242 which is wardly in curved formation as at 254 and 256 to provide two smooth curved surfaces over which the top portions of the tilting straps H6 and H8 lie. These curved surfaces 254 and 256 are shown in perspective in Figure 16. Means is provided for detachably securing the upper portions of these two tapes to the tape brackets and this preferably takes the form of a peculiarly fashioned, hairpin-like wire 25'! shown ins Figure 21, which comprises a .head portion 258, the opposite ends of which are bent inwardly at 260 and 262 to provide two elongated, substantially parallel legs 264 and 266 the extreme ends of which are outwardly bent to provide parallelv portions 268 and 210 which portions are resilient. The head 258 is disposed so that its extreme ends 212 and 214 are confined in horizontal slots 216 and 218 formed in the edges of the upwardly folded portions 250 and 252 of the bracket. In addition, a stop member 280 is adapted to lie resiliently against the cross bar 258 of this hairpin-like fastener to hold it in place. This stop member is preferably of sheet metal and comprises a tongue upstanding from the square portion 282 of the sheet metal box 280 which is welded as at 284 to the rod 66. Each shank 264 and 266 of this fastener passes through a loop portion 286 and 288 of the straps H6 and H8 and then the free ends 268 and 210 of the fastener, after being pressed inwardly, will spring outwardly and lie in and engage with the notches 290 and 292 formed in the opposite edges of the straight portions 255 and 252 of the curved members 254 and 256. By pinching inwardly upon the two free ends 268 and 218 and then swinging them upwardly, the two tapes can be taken off the fastener.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction disclosed herein but is capable of other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A head box construction for a Venetian blind comprising right and left supports, slat tilting means mounted on one of said supports, slat lift cord controlling means mounted on the other support, removable panel means for rigidly interconnecting the backs of said right and left end supports, and other panel means removably supported on the front of said right and left supports and forming a substantially enclosing housing for the front of said tilting and controlling means.

2. A head box construction for Venetian blinds comprising right and left hand spaced apart supporting units, each including a pair of parallel front and back walls and a transverse interconnecting wall, slat tilting means mounted on the walls of one of said supporting units, lift cord controlling means mounted on a wall portion of the other supporting unit, removable panel means rigidly interconnecting said back walls, and a front panel removably supported by and spanning the space between said front walls and forming with the right and left hand support units a substantially enclosing housing for the means mounted on said right and left hand support units.

3. A head box construction for a Venetian blind comprising a pair of and brackets adapted to be connected to spaced positions adjacent the 10 top of a window structure, a. pair of sheet ma.- terlal supports each including two spaced substantially parallel front and rear walls and an interconnected transverse wall, slat tilting mechanism operatively mounted in the .walls of one of said supports and slat lifting and lowering mechanism mounted in the walls of the other of said supports, said supports being spaced apart, a rigid, elongated separate panel interconnecting the rearwalls of said supports, one end of each of said supports overlying a portion of each end bracket, and means for adjustably and detachably fastening one end of each support to the adjacent one of said end brackets, an elongated blind carrying member having its ends mounted in each one of said supports including connections whereby said elongated blind carrying member is operated by said slat tilting mechanism, strap connectors mounted on said carrying member in spaced relation thereon and turnable therewith, and an ornamental front panel adapted to span the space between said brackets, said panel having means whereby the same may be detachably fastened to the said front walls of said supports.

4. In combination, a pair of end brackets comprising sheet metal end wall members and upper and lower integrally formed, horizontally extending members and a back vertical member, the front edge of said end member being disposed at a predetermined lateral inclination, the lower horizontally extending member having a slot therein provided with a guide portion formed on the same predetermined inclination as the inclination on which the front edge of the end member is formed, a pair of head boxes each comprising a bottom support one end of which is adapted to overlie the slotted horizontal lower wall of an end bracket, said bottom wall of each of said supports having an opening, fastening means adapted to pass through the slot and into said opening whereby adjustably to secure the boxes to the end members, separate means for rigidly interconnecting said boxes, and an ornamental front panel having its ends adapted to overlap the front ends of the end brackets, the ends of the front panel being formed on a similar inclination to that of the inclination front edges of the end brackets whereby to permit limited adjustment of the head boxes and front panel relatively to the end brackets while maintaining a snug fit between the ends of the front panels and the end brackets.

5. A tilting box for a Venetian blind comprising a first support and a second support, panel means to interconnect and rigidify said supports, tilting mechanism mounted in the first support comprising a sector turnably mounted on said support, an inclined driving drum, a shaft for driving said drum, said shaft and drum having a common axis inclined to the horizontal, the lower end of said shaft carrying a pinion meshing with the teeth of the sector, a cord guiding pulley mounted on the base of said first mentioned support, a cord guiding pulley mounted on the base of the second support, said second support having a bearing, said second mentioned support having spaced inclined walls parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second support but tilted with respect to a vertical plane passing therethrough, an elongated actuator connected to said sector and mounted in the bearing of said second mentioned support, a projection of the axis of said elongated actuator being disposed relatively close to the upper portion of said tilted 1 l walls, and a pair of guide pulleys rotatably mounted in said tilted walls, said second mentioned support at its base having an opening through which said tilting walls project, a tilting cord -windingly mounted upon said drum, and lifting cords passing around the guide pulley on the first support and around the guide pulley of the second support and around the pulleys conbeing notched adjacent said flanges, an elongated wire fastener having a folded head, the opposed shanks of which, adjacent the head, lie in part of said notches, the head lying transversely of the ends of said branches, each of said shanks being adapted to receive the folded end of 1a strap therethrough, whereby to hold the ends of the straps to the tilting mechanism, the opposite fined between said laterally tilted walls, and the ends of said cords passing downwardly through the bottom of said second mentioned base adjacentthe front part thereof. I

6. A raising and lowering box for a Venetian blind comprising a. sheet metal support having a bottom wall and transversely spaced integral upstanding front and rear walls, a bearing disposed between said spaced walls, the bottom wall of said support having portions thereof slotted and bent upwardly to provide upstanding inner walls, a guide pulley pivotally mounted between said inner. walls, the bottom wall adjacent said pulley having a cord opening, a guide strip folded upon itself 'to provide, spaced apart bearings and projecting through saidopening, a pair of pulleys. rotatably mounted in said bearings and between'said front and rear walls, the axis of said; pulleys being inclined with respect to the bottom and front walls,"and an ornamental panel mounted upon thefront wall of said box whereby cordsipas sing around said guide pulley and around. said pair of pulleys will project downwardly out through the bottom of said box to there'ar of said front panel.

7."In a'Venetian blind construction, a bottom rail-i construction comprising upper and lower elongated shell-like sheet metal halves having laterally extending flanges in parallel disposed relation, the flanges of said halves being adapted -to telescope in parallel relation to form a shell closed at the sides, top and bottom, end caps adaptedto fit over the ends of said shells, and tapes passing between the intcrfltting flanges of said shells, and a pair of lifting cords having their lower ends passing through the upper one of said upper shell halves and having an enlarged section within said rail preventing withdrawal of said cords.

8. In a Venetian blind, in combination with a tilting box having tilting mechanism therein and a. slat raising and lowering box having slat raising and lowering mechanism therein, an elongated rod of non-circular cross section extending between said boxes, the tilting mechanism insaid tilting box turning said rod, sheet metal members havin a portion adapted to fit about'said rod, there being means for fastening the sheet metal members in slidable position along said rod within each of said tilting boxes, said members having opposed branches on each side of said rod with outwardly turned flanges on the ends of the branches, tilting straps overlying said flanges, the edges of said branches end of the elongated shanks having-outwardly extending shoulder portions which ma be pressed together and upon release resiliently spring outwardly into other of said notches to hold the fastener in position thereon, and means mounted on said angularly disposed rod comprising an.

upstanding arm adapted to engage the cross portion of the head to hold the same in position.

9. In a Venetian blind, the combination with a tilting box having slat tilting mechanism therein and a slat raising and lowering box having slat raising and lowering mechanism therein comprising, a rod having portions of its length non-circular of cross section extending between said boxes, the tilting mechanism in said tilting box being connected to said rod to turn the same, folded sheet metal clips having aportion fitted about said rod, means for fastening said clips in position along said rod and within each of said boxes, said clips having opposed branches on each side of said rod with outwardly turned flanges on the ends of the branches, tilting straps overlying said flanges, the edges of said branches being notched adjacent to said flanges, an elongated wire fastener having a folded head associated with each clip, the opposed shanks of said fasteners adjacent the heads thereof lying in part of said notches with the head lying transversely of the ends of said branches, each of said shanks being adapted to be passed through the folded end of said tilt straps whereby to hold the ends of the straps to the clips, the opposite ends of the shanks having outwardly extending shoulder portions springably engaged in others of said notches to hold said fasteners in position.

GLENN L. SHERWOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Junkunc Jan. 1, 

